Spurs must find a compromise with Everton for Ross Barkley soon to add some magic to the squad

0Shares

Even Mauricio Pochettino must have looked at his Tottenham Hotspur bench in the second half and taken a sharp intake of breath.

You look for pace and you turn to the much criticised Moussa Sissoko, you want something extra in the midfield and you must rely on that talented but relatively inexperienced Harry Winks. You want goals and you send on new central defender Davinson Sanchez…eh?

The latter was the most baffling. It made sense to chck on the club record signing before Burnley’s equaliser to add strength to the backline, but to bring him on still after the goal surely must have signalled the end of Vincent Janssen’s Spurs career.

Sanchez came on and Toby Alderweireld was pushed up front. Pochettino felt that a central defender was more of a goal threat than the Netherlands international striker.

Along with Janssen left kicking his heels on the Tottenham bench were 20-year-old full back Kyle Walker-Peters, 17-year-old midfielder Tashan Oakley-Boothe – his first senior appearance on the bench – and goalkeeper Michel Vorm.

Read More

Not one genuine game changer on Pochettino’s bench at a club with ambitions to challenge for the Premier League title for a third year in a row.

Ross Barkley is a target for Spurs

Of course there are injuries, the missing list contains Victor Wanyama, Erik Lamela, Danny Rose and Georges-Kevin Nkoudou – the latter almost as untrusted as Janssen.

Their return will boost numbers and options but will it bring that little bit of magic? Lamela on his day can create something out of nothing but will he be able to get back to his best, if Spurs fans have even seen it yet.

All of which makes the signing of Ross Barkley a priority.

Pochettino is a big fan of the England international and he would provide an alternative to both Christian Eriksen and Mousa Dembele as he can flit between both roles.

Read More

Barkley can create something out of nothing, carry the ball between the lines and will make Spurs’ midfielders question their security on the team sheet, a form of competition Eriksen and Dele Alli seriously lack.

His injury lay off has remained a mystery at Everton, but even if he is to miss a month or two, it’s a move Spurs must make as the matches begin to come thick and fast. They are still far off the Toffees’ valuation of the player and if they wait until January somebody else may pounce.

Read More

Serge Aurier

As well as Barkley, another speedster with something more about him is also a must if Nkoudou seems to be a project not worth pursuing by the Argentine.

For all the talk of defenders signing – potentially three this window – the problem with a lack of sparkle on the Tottenham bench has been lingering for too long and Daniel Levy needs to put an end to it before Thursday is done.